Arson at the Orphanage - City guard baffled!

[Boom]

So, here's a little story about a stunt us thieves pulled off recently and it's consequences. I posted this on the realm forum a couple of days ago, so some of you may have had a look at it, but since it has a lot to do with the orcs and particularly the deal we have, I thought I should post it here too for you to see.

Part 1:

Grognak the town crier was the most popular man in town once again, or so it seemed. Every time some unfortunate tragedy took place in Orgrimmar, people were swarming up around his spot near the bank to hear what he had to say. Today was no different. The sun has just crept up from beyond the hills, illuminating the city with it's first rays of light, and after Grognak had talked for just five minutes it looked like half of the city were listening.

"And in local news..." he started, looking at the documents he had been given, "The orphanage in the valley of honor has been the target of a malicious attempt at arson, just last night. A group of three men were seen heading inside the building, and according to the orphan matron one of them, an undead man dressed like an entertainer, had jumped on the table to show his "act" to the children. It soon became apparent that it was not their intention to entertain anyone, and the show ended with the supposed clown shooting himself with a rifle. This naturally was an extremely traumatizing thing for the children to witness, and before the matron could call the guards to take the men out, she was knocked unconcious by one of the assailants. Later, the three men were seen leaving the building, which now seemed to have turned into a merciless inferno. According to some witnesses, one of the men had overturned the braziers inside the building and then thrown explosives inside the orphanage, supposedly giggling like a amadman. Sadly, the criminals ran away before the guards could catch them."

At this point, a collective uproar of discontent could be heard from the crowd. Grognak raised his hand, however, and the people lowered their voices.

"The fire was eventually put out, but not without losses. Five children were killed in the incident, and many more, including the matron, were badly injured by the flames. The heartless criminals were later identified as members of the notorious outlaw gang, the Sixty Thieves. Up till now, the city guard have considered the organization mostly harmless, operating inside the borders of the street commonly known as the Drag and only bothering those who are foolish enough to walk there alone and defenseless. That is no longer the case, it seems. I am sure you all have noticed the posters that have been appearing on building walls all over the city."

The town crier showed the crowd one of these posters, holding it high above his head. A few rotten fruit were thrown at it. The poster depicted an ugly, balding undead, who was grinning mockingly at the viewer, pointing at him with his finger. The text "Uncle Boom wants you for the Sixty Thieves" was clearly visible.

"It would seem that the thieves have a new leader, who evidently has no respect for the old arrangements his predecessors and the city guard had established. The captain of the guard encourages the good citizens of Orgrimmar to report any sightings of this "Boom" and his thieves to the local authorities, and tear any and all of these wretched posters wherever they can be found. It has also come to they city guards attention that hundreds of unauthorized golden coins with this notorious criminal's face etched on them have been circulating in the city's economy. The guard urges anyone in possession of these coins to dispose of them immediately."

This statement didn't cause quite as much uproar in the crowd. Many people were seen reaching to their pockets and inspecting golden coins. None were thrown away.

"It should be clear to anyone that any dealings with these criminals will not be tolerated. The captain of the guard assures the good citizens of Orgrimmar that this threat will be swiftly dealt with and the people can sleep soundly. However, for the time being, it would be advisable to steer clear of the street commonly known as the Drag, especially when travelling alone or during nighttime. That would be all, my fellow citizens. I wish you all a pleasant day."

Grognak stepped down from his wooden crate, and started making his way back home. He was, as usual, followed by enthusiastic citizens wishing to know more. He wasn't in the mood for small talk though, so he picked up his pace with no particular destination, looking behind him every once in a while. After a few minutes even the most concerned orcs and trolls seemed to have gotten the message. The town crier let out a sigh of relief, and inspected his surroundings. He was alone now, that was for sure... Perhaps a little too alone. The usual hustle and bustle of the city was gone, replaced by shadows and silence. He looked up, and saw huge animal skins blocking the rays of sunlight from reaching the dark alley. The town crier knew now where he was, and he was more than aware that he wasn't welcome, especially now. He started walking back, taking quick steps. A few rats skittered away as he stepped on a puddle of mud, dirtying his boots and pants. Grognak cursed, and stopped for a while, trying to get most of the mud off when it started. A high-pitched giggle, the source of which couldn't be seen and seemed to be coming from different directions as Grognak turned to face it. He started to run.

--

Part 2

The end of the alley was already in sight. The footsteps behind Grognak were getting louder by the second, and suddenly a loud bang erupted from somewhere behind the orc's back. The town crier could feel the hot air on his cheek as the bullet missed him by an inch. He was forced to look back, and ran straight into another puddle of mud, tripping over face-down into the dirt. Another loud giggle could be heard just a few feet behind him.
"Well, boys and girls!" said a high, raspy voice. "Looks live we've got ourselves a live one!"
Grognak tried to get back on his feet, but slipped again and fell on his bottom, facing a most peculiar sight; a group of shady-looking characters, led by a short forsaken man who appeared to be the source of the giggling.


The extravagantly dressed short undead man approached the orc, peering at him with his predatory gaze from behind some strange goggles, a vicious grin on his face stretching from ear to ear. Behind the forsaken, a ragtag group of thieves were either smiling or simply staring at the orc. Grognak recognized the hideous man instantly; this was the so-called king of bandits, Boom, whose face was littered all around the city on posters and golden coins.
"You- you're him. You're that uncle Boom! What do you want from me?" said the orc, getting up on his feet and all covered in mud.
"His majesty Boom the magnificent to you!" shouted the king of bandits. "And I'm sure you know what I want... You're trespassing in my kingdom after all! And we... we don't take kindly to trespassers. Especially the likes of you!"
The orc was standing up now, looking at Boom fearfully as the bandit king took a few steps closer, stopping before the puddle of mud.
"The likes of... Me? But I haven't done anything to you. To any of you!"
"Oh, dear boy, we both know that isn't true! I hear you've said some... things about me, yes? Unkind things. Things that break a poor man's heart!"
Boom threw his head back and another maniacal giggle erupted from his mouth. Grognak took a few uncertain steps back, wiping mud off his face.
"But I'm just a messenger!" said the orc. "They're not my ideas, none of them... I'm just trying to earn some money to put food on my family's table."
Then, before the Grognak had any chance to defend himself, Boom jumped over the puddle of mud and grabbed the orc by the throat. The merry facade was all but gone and the bandit king looked at Grognak with an expression of barely contained anger.
"Do you take me for a fool?! You think I don't know you're just a worthless puppet? That's not the point! If I'm going to run this city, I need to dispose of... Liabilities such as yourself."
Grognak was terrified, peering around frantically to find some kind of an escape, or a hero to save him. But he only saw a hooded figure scurrying past the scene, trying not to be noticed by the group of thieves.
"You know, we're... We're gentlemen, yes!" said Boom. "Not some bunch of savages! Otherwise I would've told mister Ghost to aim to kill." A pale elf was standing a few feet away, still holding a smoking revolver in his hand, smirking slyly.
"But you, my friend, I'm afraid you'll just have to go. It's a wonderful message to the good people of this town, you see! If a popular guy like you ends up as a rug on my hideout's floor after standing up to me, who else is going to take the risk?"
Boom was smiling his horrible smile again, squeezing the orcs throat more tightly. Grognak felt tears running down his face. Somehow he knew there wouldn't be a way out of this.
"Please, mister Boom! Let me go, I'll leave this town, I'll never come back, I-" Boom, still smiling, grabbed the orc's tongue and produced a small knife from his sleeve with his left hand. He raised the blade and with one quick slash, cut off Grognak's tongue. He let go of the orc and let him fall down, gurgling incoherently. Boom leaned over him, holding the ex-town crier down with his boot.
"You just don't get it, do you! It's about sending a message! And now you soiled my clothes too." The king said, trying to wipe some of the orc's blood off his jacket. Then he drew a seemingly self-made, intricately decorated handgun from his belt and pointed it directly at Grognak's forehead. The last thing that Orgrimmar's most popular man saw was the bandit king's nightmarish grin, and even after the lights went out he could hear that giggle, louder than death itself.

Boom watched the body with pride. The bullet had made it's way through the exact center of the orc's forehead and blood was dripping down in a steady stream. The rest of the thieves were gathering around, looking at Grognak's body. One hunched forsaken started poking it with a stick.
"Oh, I do hope he's still recognizable." said Boom with some pity in his voice. "That must've been one of my exploding bullets!" None of the other thieves were laughing, and as usual waited until Boom had finished his deranged giggling. "Mister Crude! Mister Ghost!" he then said with a suddenly serious voice. "Hang the fellow up, will you? For all the town to see!" An orc and the pale elf stepped up from the crowd and picked up the body. "As you wish, your majesty" said the elf with sarcasm that went unnoticed only by the king himself.

They started making their way towards the spikes of bone looming over the entrance to the Cleft of Shadows.

--

((edit: I would've posted the illustrations at the parts of the story where they belong, but apparently the site doesn't allow me to post links ))

[Greggar]

(( Nice story but aww..Why the killing? :<  Sigh..I'm too sensitive on those parts -_- darn you living fantasy! D:
Oh and I doubt Greg is gonna like this..Hence 6 dead orcs and 1 hung up body is most likely very noticable.. Although killing an npc that still runs around? :p ))

[Ugluhk]

(( *whistles innocently* I didn't do aaanything... Not with Nazarius at least! Nothing! ))

[Greggar]

(( D: *gasp* ))

[Claws]

((Nice story good to see the 60 back up and running))

Claws pulls the poster of the wood stake looks at the face and smiles.
“So new vermin in the drag as long as they leave me and mine alone then there will be no trouble”.
Claws remembers the day when she and other officers of the Tribe had come to the first mutual agreement with the 60 (she sneakers to her self).
Just bullies who find there strength in numbers and shrink away when confronted if they are caught alone, which is rare.
“Well shame to waste the paper time for my daily dumb”

[Boom]

(( Nice story but aww..Why the killing? :<  Sigh..I'm too sensitive on those parts -_- darn you living fantasy! D:
Oh and I doubt Greg is gonna like this..Hence 6 dead orcs and 1 hung up body is most likely very noticable.. Although killing an npc that still runs around? :p ))

The npc isn't running around, he was my own creation. And come on Greg, you know Boom, he'd kill those kids just because he didn't have a happy childhood so nor should anyone else have one .

Anyways, looking forward to hearing from the orcsies in game in one form or another.

[Greggar]

(( Actually boom is one big mistery to prodict for me, just like koz ))

[Mhokdor Spinesnapper]

((*Wouldn't put his bet on either Koz nor Boom when it comes to being unpredictable* Nice story ^^ ))

[Kozgugore]

Over the crackling sound of a few, small bonfires and the quiet yelping of a lonely dog, footsteps floated in the pitch-black sky of the Drag. Two orcs dressed in casual clothing entered Yelmak’s Alchemy and Potions store, a tower shrouded in the Drag’s shadows, and rumored to be the hideout of the notorious Sixty Thieves. What two civilians were doing in the Drag at a time like this, one can only guess.

The two orcs were never seen leaving the building, however. Instead, a low, muffled voice was heard inside only a minute after they entered, shortly before the first few sparkles could be seen that set the tower on fire in a slow if not secure progress. It was already too late for the biggest part of the building before the citizen of Orgrimmar even took notice of the fire that was slowly consuming the tower and its wares.

In the chaos of the fire, however, three disguised figures left the building, dragging two of the tower’s shopkeepers and a troll outside. After laying them unconscious on the side of the street, it did not take long for the mysterious guests to disappear into the shadows just as quickly as they appeared.

They were not the only ones to roam the Drag at this hour of the night, however. A shady-dressed orc female overlooked the store from a tower on the opposite side of the street. She regarded the show with low hisses and nervous gestures. When she made a move to descend the tower, however, a boisterous, growling voice was carried by the wind behind her.
“No need to run, lass. I caught your scent minutes before we arrived.”
“I’m no’ runnin’…” the female replied, turning around to face an orcish male staring down at her on the same tower. Behind him, several armed orcs followed his lead.
“Good. I want to have you see your precious, little tower burn. So you can tell that lovely family of yours what you saw here.”
The orcess mauled her teeth together in response.
“Tell them they stand at a crossroad. You can leave this city and never come back. Or you may choose to remain here and suffer the consequences. Should you choose the second, this lovely campfire was just the beginning.”
“’ey’ll neva’ leave Orgrimmar.”
“Then your miserable fate be decided. Tell them they are to leave this city, or expect to be haunted for as long as they choose to stay here while your so-called ‘king’ remains alive.”
“The king…?” the female wrinkled her face into a frown, but eventually simply ended up nodding. “I’ll tell ‘em then… Tha’ Orgrimmar… belongs t’the blades.”
With this, the orc male turned around and waved for the other orcs to follow him, whose outlines were only visible by the inferno that was now raging on the other side of the street.


(( Story moved from the tribal IC board to the public one, so that... others can enjoy the show, too.

And as said in the other thread: Just for reference, this is the same story I posted on both the official realm forums and on the Sixty's forums. Since I expect them to mostly respond on their own forums (since the official forums makes your brains freeze), you can find the 60X forums here. ))